Movie review number 28
PLOT
The second movie of the Godfather series starts in 1901 with 9 year old Vito Corleone attending his father's funeral in Sicily with his mother and the funeral cortege. His elder brother Paolo had been hiding in the hills after swearing vegeance on Don Cicci, the man who ordered the murder of Vito's Dad. During the funeral, shooting happens and Paulo is killed. Mother takes Vito to the Cicci villa and begs that they leave Vito alone, but Don Cicci refuses and kills the mother - Vito runs away and escapes...... onto a boat to Ellis Island.
The story then switches to the 1960s, with Al Pacino playing middle aged Michael Corleone (youngest son of Marlon Brando/Vito Corleone of movie 1) married to Diane Keaton and young son running "The Firm" - starting with the confirmation of the young son and setting up the blackmailing of a US Senator (later in the movie, he finds himself naked in a motel room with a dead woman and no clue how he got there..... the motel run by Michael's elder brother Fredo. Michael gets what he wants later during Senate hearings into Corleone mafia illegalities!) Michael also does business with Hyman Roth in Miami (Meyer Lansky of real mafia fame) who is setting up Michael's assassination with Fredo....... and Michael then discovers Fredo's backhanded traitorship having originally thought it was the eldest brother Santini that was plotting!!! Family Business has now moved to the Las Vegas casino's and Corleone/Roth are looking to invest in Cuba which is where the assassination was supposed to take place but was foiled.
Flashbacks to the early 1900s form part of the movie, showing Vito's maturity in Depression age New York City (now played by Robert De Niro), marriage, the birth of Santini, Fredo and Michael, and Vito's starting to muscle into the Mafia protection racket, assassinating another hated Don as his official "entry" into the business.
Meanwhile, back in the 60s, Michael's marriage to Diane Keaton disintigrates into divorce, but Michael refuses Diane to take their two children away from him.
The end of the movie sees the beginning of the end of the Corleone family.....
The second movie of the Godfather series starts in 1901 with 9 year old Vito Corleone attending his father's funeral in Sicily with his mother and the funeral cortege. His elder brother Paolo had been hiding in the hills after swearing vegeance on Don Cicci, the man who ordered the murder of Vito's Dad. During the funeral, shooting happens and Paulo is killed. Mother takes Vito to the Cicci villa and begs that they leave Vito alone, but Don Cicci refuses and kills the mother - Vito runs away and escapes...... onto a boat to Ellis Island.
The story then switches to the 1960s, with Al Pacino playing middle aged Michael Corleone (youngest son of Marlon Brando/Vito Corleone of movie 1) married to Diane Keaton and young son running "The Firm" - starting with the confirmation of the young son and setting up the blackmailing of a US Senator (later in the movie, he finds himself naked in a motel room with a dead woman and no clue how he got there..... the motel run by Michael's elder brother Fredo. Michael gets what he wants later during Senate hearings into Corleone mafia illegalities!) Michael also does business with Hyman Roth in Miami (Meyer Lansky of real mafia fame) who is setting up Michael's assassination with Fredo....... and Michael then discovers Fredo's backhanded traitorship having originally thought it was the eldest brother Santini that was plotting!!! Family Business has now moved to the Las Vegas casino's and Corleone/Roth are looking to invest in Cuba which is where the assassination was supposed to take place but was foiled.
Flashbacks to the early 1900s form part of the movie, showing Vito's maturity in Depression age New York City (now played by Robert De Niro), marriage, the birth of Santini, Fredo and Michael, and Vito's starting to muscle into the Mafia protection racket, assassinating another hated Don as his official "entry" into the business.
Meanwhile, back in the 60s, Michael's marriage to Diane Keaton disintigrates into divorce, but Michael refuses Diane to take their two children away from him.
The end of the movie sees the beginning of the end of the Corleone family.....
RECOMMENDED
Oh yes! Not as "blood and guts" as the first one, but has connections to real-life happenings (i.e. the Senate hearings of the 60s, Kennedy involvement with mafia/Vegas, Meyer Lansky, Cuba) which makes interesting viewing for (US) history buffs
RATING
8.5 out of 10
SCOOBY SNACKS
Antipasta and a Banana Daquiri
Another great Beanie movie review! Papa saw this movie a beary long time ago, "Yeah, like in the Middle Ages" says Jerry who then giggles. We'll have to see it again.
ReplyDeleteI agree, a great movie. Maybe we can have a movie night during the stuffie convention?
ReplyDeleteI have tomato sauce simmering on my stove right now with tomatoes from our garden, can't wait to try some!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of watching these movies at a stuffie convention... can't call it a re-union yet... and Ajdin could make the popcorn!! And Beanie can lead the discussion group... Little Fox can bring the tomato sauce... for the spaghetti... would go good with this movie I think.
ReplyDeleteYeah, and Hammie can bring the vegetables from his garden and Sullivan can read from the associated book the movie was based on!!!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent idea!!
ReplyDelete